Four-way nozzle



NOV- 27, 1945. J. c. scHELLlN ETA; 2,389,642

4 FOUR-WAY NOZZLE .Filed June 7,- 1944 3 Sheets-Shee1`I l Jan Y Jc'zeZZ/L Earl Jb'wekeeper W'l'lll'am E Brubaker Ngv. 27, 1945. J. c. scHELLlN 'ET AL 2,389,642

FOUR-WAY NozzLE Filed June '7, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 'wwww "HUI J. C. sc HELLIN ETAL Nov. 27, l945.

' FOUR-WAY NoZzLE sheets-sheen s Filed June '7, 1944 o 00000 o O ooooooo ooooooo o o oooo 0006 n Patented Nov. 27, 1945 FoUa-WAY NozzLE y John 0. Schellin, Earl J. Housekeeper, and

William H. Brubaker, Wooster, Ohio, asslgnors to The Wooster Brass Company, Wooster, Ohio, a corporation of hio Application June 7, 1944, serial No. 539,132

' a claims. (ci.

The invention relates generally to hose nozzles, and more particularly to nozzles used on re hosefor producing a straight stream and spray, either singly or in combination, andy the present application is a continuation in part of our copending application, Serial No. 503,208,

filed September 21, 1943,

Certain prior nozzles, adapted for producing a straight stream and a spray, have been required by their design and construction to produce a hollow cylindrical straight stream either with or without a concentric spray or mist. Such hollow stream is satisfactory for fighting small fires butv does not have suicient volume for fighting larger res where a large volume of water is required continuously to extinguish or control the flames. Other combination spray and stream nozzle constructions have been proposed in which the straight stream is solid, but the'breaking up of particles of water to produce a ilne spray or mist has been limited by the fact that as the spray outlet is constricted it quickly becomes clogged with the dirt and debris in the average water supply. It has been proven in nre fighting practice that the finer the spray produced so as to most nearly approach a vapor, the more effective it is in extinguishing` fires by smothering or blanketing the same.

Accordingly, the continuous production of a iine mist or vapor is important if not essential, especially when lighting certain types of lires such as oil and electrical resl whichV must be smothered or enveloped with order to be extinguished. V i It is also very important to provide for producing a continuous fine mist or vapor while subjecting the nozzle to rough or abusive use such mist or vapor in erage or ordinary water supply containing foreign matter, without substantial clogging.

A further object Iis to provide an improved combination nozzle in which the adjusting parts for producing the spray are maintained in accurate alignment.

AnotherI object is to provide means at the spray outlet for breaking up the water particles. without interfering with the spray shut-oft.

A still further object is to provide a simple, compact and inexpensive construction `which embodies a11 of the foregoing objectives.

It is another object of the invention to provide a nozzle which is adapted to produce an outwardly directed fog at substantially right angles to the axis of the nozzle to form a protective. shield and to simultaneously produce inwardly directed streams at approximately an angle of 45 to the axis of the nozzle and arranged to iiigtinge upon one another to produce a fog or A further object is to provide a nozzle of this characterin which the barrel ofthe nozzle is tapered on a radius terminating at the head of the barrel adjacent to the angular opening therein which produce the inwardly directed, impinging streams.

4These and other objects are attained in the present invention which is shown by way-of example in the accompanying drawings, and hereinafter described and claimed. y

In general terms the present improved nozzle includes an inner barrel having 'a central bore with a ball'type shut-oir at one end, and an outer as usually occurs as the hose and nozzle thereon is thrown or knocked about against pavements and buildings in nre ghting emergencies. Accordingly. the adjusting parts for producing and y controlling the spray must be maintained in ac curate alignment.

It is therefore an object ofthe present invention to provide a novel and improved nozzle which overcomes theV foregoing disadvantages of prior constructions. f

More specincally, it is an object to provide an improved nozzle which will provide either a solid straight stream alone or in combination with a very fine mist or vapor. or the mist or vapor alone,

- or'A complete shut-oit.

Another object is to provide an improved com.. bination nomic which is adapted t0 produce continuously a very nne mist or vapor from an avsleeve providing an annular spray outlet around the other end of the barrel, said sleeve being adjustable to regulate the spray and to close of! the supply thereto within said sleeve.

Referring to the drawings showing a preferred Vembodiment of the invention;

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of duce a spray or mist alone;

Fig. 2 a similar view with the parts in position to produce a solidstraight stream alone;

Fig. 3 a similar view partly in elevation and partly in section on a plane at from the plane' of Fig. 2;

Fig. a transverse sectional view as on line transverse sectional view as on lin'e longitudinal sectioual'view of a inodthe improved nozzle with the parts in position t0 protransverse sectional view as on line ined form otthe `improved nozzle in which the spray or mist produced is in the for'm of an outwardly directed protective shield and a plurality of angular. inwardly directed, impinging streams, with the parts in position to produce a spray or -mist alone;

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the forward end portion of the nozzle shown in Fig. 7, with the parts in position to produce a solid, .straight stream alone;

Fig. 9 ls a viewsimilar to Fig. 8 showing theA nozzle producing both a solid, straight stream and a protective shield or fog, and

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view as on the line Ill-I0, Fig. 7.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, the improved nozzle preferably includes .a housing 1 which is generally tubular in shape and which is provided at one end with the usual female screw threads 8 for attachment to a standard hose coupling part provided on the end of the iire hose on which the nozzle is to be used. 'Ihe opposite end of the housing 1 encircles the inner end of a barrel 9 which has a central cylindrical bore I adapted for discharging water in a solid straight stream, as indicated at II in Fig. 2.

The outer end of the barrel 9 projects beyond the housing 1 and is surrounded by a sleeve I2 which is longitudinally adjustable with respect to the barrel 9. Preferably the barrel 9 is provided intermediate its ends with an annular extension I3, and the sleeve I2 is screwed on the forward portion of said annular extension, .as indicated at Il so that the longitudinal adjustment of the sleeve is obtained by screwing the same in either direction on the barrel. Means for limiting the longitudinal movement of the sleeve may constitute a pair of set screws I5 in the'sleeve wall, which set screws abut the annular extension I3 for limiting movement of the sleeve toward the housing 1 and abut a conical rib I6 on the barrel 9 for limiting movement of the sleeve in the other direction.l Preferably, an .annular gasket I1 is'provided between the sleeve I2 and annular extension I3 for preventing leakage between these two members.

25 on its rear edge, so that water flowing through the sleeve and discharging from the outlet 23 will. imping'e the serrations and be broken up into very fine particles, producing a conical mist or vapor discharge, as indicated at 24a in Fig. 1.

Means for Iclosing oi the water supply to the spray outlet 23 preferably includes an inner conical rib 26 on the sleeve I2 which is adapted to seat on the front conical face of the conical rib I6, thus providing a shut-off for the spray Outlet Within the sleeve I2. vPreferably a ring of composition material 21 is provided on the rib I 6 for insuring a tight seat. By thus providing the closure for the spray outlet Within the'sleeve I2 instead of at the spray outlet, the serrations 25 may be provided at the spray outlet to break up the spray and obtain a iine mist or vapor discharge.

Means for maintaining the sleeve in accurate alignment with the barrel 9 preferably includes a ring 28 slidably engaging the barrel 9 and supported on the sleeve by spaced -ribs 29. Thus, even though the nozzle is subjected to the rough usage incident to fire fighting including lateral impacts on the sleeve, the spray outlet 23 is maintained accurately annular at all times to prevent clogging at one side or the other.

Preferably the housing is provided with a balltype shut-01T for controlling water flowing through the barrel 9. 'I'he shut-oil 3 9 is provided With a cylindrical passage 3| of the same diameter as thebore I0 and adapted to be aligned therewith. As' shown, the ball shut-*off may have at one side a segmental seating member 32 for seating in the end of the barrel 9, as indicated in Fig. l, when the ball is turned to shut-ofi' position. Preferably the member 32 is provided with an inwardly projecting boss 33 slidably received in a hole 34 communicating with the passages 3|,

Preferably, the front end of the housing 1 is screwed onto the rear end of the annular exo tension I3 of the barrel, as indicated at- |8 to provide a rigid connection between the housmg and the barrel with. an annular passage I9 between the two. A gasket 20 is preferably provided at the base of the threads I9 to prevent leakage between the housing and the annular l extension I3.

For providing communication between the annular passage I9 and the inner part of the sleeve I2, a circular or annular series of longitudinal ports or holes 2I is provided in the annular extension I3 of the barrel. The size and spacing of the ports 2I is such that considerably more water is supplied to the sleeve than is normally necessary for creating the required volume of spray at the outer end .ofthe sleeve, so that even though a relatively large number of the ports 2l become clogged, the spray discharged will still function satisfactorily.

The outer end of the sleeve I2 1 s preferably inwardly constructed or tapered as indicated at 22 to provide a small annular spray outlet 23 around-the outer end oi the barrel 9. Preferably the outer end of the barrel 1s provided with an external lip 24 which has a series of serrations and the member 32 is preferably cushioned on the ball by means of a gasket 35 or the like. Thus in closed position the pressure. of the water is exerted against the inner side of the member 32 to provide a tight seat against the end of the barrel 9. Preferably, a spherically shaped rib 36 is provided in the housing 1 for engaging the member 32 and maintaining the ball in alignment when it is in open position as shown in Fig. 2.

The ball shut-oil' 39 is preferably journaled in the housing 1 as shown in Fig. 3 by providing diametrically opposite studs 31 and 39 on the ball journaled in the housing walls. Preferably the stud 38 is extended through the housing wall as indicated at 39 for connection with a usual shut-oil handle yoke 40 which is also journaled on a boss 4I provided on the opposite side of the housing.- A suitable packing gland 42 is provided around the stud extension 39, and the housing wall around said extension may be in the form of a. removable plate 43 .for giving access to the ball shut-oft'.

Means for straining the water flowing around the ball to the spray outlet passages 2lv preferably includes a frusto-conical perforate strainer 44 secured in the housing 1 between the screw threads 8 and the ball shut-off. The strainer 44 is of relatively fine mesh so as to catch a sufflclent proportion of dirt, sea weed, gravel and the like which may be present in the water supply. Due to the conical shape of the .strainer with itssmaller open end adjacent the passage 3| in the ball shut-off, even though the strainer becomesclogged with foreign merely turning the ball shut-ofi' to the open posimaterialr the same may be thoroughly cleaned out and flushed by sion i3d of the barrel.

tion of Figs. 2 and 3. Moreover, in the case of any foreign material getting past the strainer M the circular series of ports 2| acts as a secondary screen, and it should be noted that the amount of water normally flowing through the strainer and ports 2l is of such capacity that even though both the spray outlet 23 to produce a mist or vapor discharge of required volume.

In the operation of the improved nozzle, when the shut-off isin the position of Fig. l, water owing into the housing 1 will pass through the strainer 44 and around the ball to the ports 2|. With the sleeve I2 in the position of Fig. l water will flow in the direction of the arrows past the seat 21 between the ribs iB and 26- and outA through the spray outlet 23 in the form of fine conical mist 24. In order to obtain a complete shut-off with the ball 3i!V in closed position, it is only necessary to screw the sleeve i2 rearwardly on the barrel 9 until the inner rib 26 of the sleeve seats on the rib I6 of the barrel.

With the ball shut-oi! 30 in the position of Figs. 2 and 3 a solid straight stream il is discharged from the front end of the barrel, and by manipulating the sleeve I2 the conical mist 24 may or may not be produced as desired. Thus, the nozzle provides four ways or positions for producing namely, a solid straight stream alone, a spray or mist alone, a combination of straight stream and mist, and a complete shut-off.

In Figs. 7 to l0 inclusive, fa slightly modied form of the improved nozzle is shown in which the generally tubular housing lo is internally threaded at one end, as at 8a, for attachment to a standard hose coupling, the opposite end of the housing encircling the inner end of the barbel 9a which has the central cylindrical bore lila adapted for discharging water in a solid straight stream as indicated at lla in Figs. 8 and 9.

rlJhe outer end of the barrel 9a projects beyond the housing and is surrounded by the sleeve ita which may be screwed upon the forward portion ofthe annular extension i3d of the-barrel, as indicated at Ha, whereby longitudinal adjustment of the sleeve may he obtained by screwing the same in either direction on the barrel.

The means for limiting the longitudinal movement of the sleeve preferably includes a helical spring iba in ring form which is held by its own strainer and the ports are par- I tially clogged suilicient water will reach the resiliency in an annular groove la .in the barrel 9. The spring formsa cushion stop by abutting the ribs 29a when the sleeve ita is moved to the positions of Figs.v '7 and 9 for producing a mist or fog. Obviously, the axis of the spring ita must be inward of the outer edge of the groove 96a to prevent dislodging the spring.

The annular gasket Ila may be provided betweenthe sleeve i241 and the annular extension i3d to prevent lealgage betweenthese members.

The forward end of the housing 'la may be screwed upon the rear end of the annular extension illu as indicated at iBa to provide a rigid connection between the housing and the barrel with an annular passage Isa between the two, and a gasket 20a may be the threads 18a to prevent Communication may be provided between the annular passage lila and the inner end of the sleeve I2a through an annular series of longitudinal ports Ila formed in the annular extenleakage at this point.

The outer end of the i gular mist or spra provided at the base of cent to the external lip the center, thus producing a the internal annular flange piece 22a, which is preferably screwed into the barrel as shown. The inner circumference of the piece 22a is slightly larger than the forward portion of the barrel 9a, and the forward surface of the piece 22a is very slightly inclined as at 23a and terminates adjathe barrel.

The outer surface portion of the barrel 9a is reduced, being longitudinally curved on a radiusI as indicated at 25a extending from a point slightly in rear of the flange 22a of the sleeve in its closed position of Fig. 8 and terminating in a cylindrical portion at the external lip Mb where it is provided with a plurality of ports 25h10- cated at substantially 45 As best shown in Fig. 8, the inner circumferential surface of the ange piece 22a is preferably provided with serrations-22D inclined in one direction from the axis of the nozzle, and the outer lcircumferential surface of the lip 2th is provided with serrations 24e inclined in the opposite direction. As shown the serrations 24e are much finer than tions in both cases being about 5 to 10 with the axis of the barrel, and the serrations 22h are preferably about 21 pitch (21 to the inch) while the serrations 2te are preferably about 33 pitch.

We have found that the use of oppositely inclined serrations produces an exceptionally fine mist or vapor, and that the use of a finely serrated lip withl a coarser serrated sleeve outlet acts Vto further break up the particles of water and cause the liner particles to migrate toward very dense vapor.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 7, for producing a mist or spray, a protective shield will be discharged at substantially right angles to the axis of the nozzle along inclined surface 23a, as indicated at S, while impinging streams will be discharged inward through the ports 25h producing a fog or mist at the axis of the nozzle. The impinging streams should not be less than at a 45 angleto the nozzle axis although they may be somewhat greater, being shown which is the ideal angle, because the resulting spray then has sumcient forward motion, without having too much, in which latter case the impingement does not break up the spray sufficiently.

The point A at the rear of the internal annual nange 22a of the sleeve should at all times be ahead of the point B where the curve 25a begins .as otherwise axial line of the barrel. l'.ilzie curve 25a is provided in order to get a sweep of water and form a dense protective shield of fog which is deflected by lip 24h at substantially right angles to the axis of the nozzle, the water being deected from the surface dia and behind external lip 2th and directed outward across the slightly inclined forward surface 23a in a substantially right an- 1f the barrel were reduced or tapered on a straight line instead of a curvel the angle of deflection tends to shoot the water out at about a 45 angle.

' The means for closing oil.' the water supply to the spray outlet includes the inner conical rib sleeve mais provided with *I64 alignment with the barrel V26a on the sleeve the rib 18h on the material 21a may insuring a tight seat.

The sleeve may be maintained in accurate by means of4 a ring barrel. VA ring or composition 24h at the outer end of to the axis of the barrel. i

the serrations 22h, the serrarolled at an angle of at about d5" the water tends to follow the which is adapted to seat on be provided on thevrib IED for construction, because above described when the ball is turned to shutoit position.' 'I'his segmental member has vthe boss 33a slidably received in the hole 31a communicating with the passage 31a and is preferably cushioned on the ball by means of the gasket 35a.

A frusto-conical strainer a may be secured to the housing 1a between the threads 8a and the ball shut-oil for straining the water flowing around the ball to the spray outlet passages in the manner above described.

The nozzle produces a ne mist or vapor continuously despite abusive use positive means is provided for maintaining alignment of the sleeve around the barrel and because water supplied to the spray outlet is effectively strained while passing through the nozzle.`

We claim:

1. Nozzle construction including a hollow barrel open at both ends and having an exterior annular extension intermediate its ends provided with a circular series of holes extending longitudinally therethrough, a housing screwed on the inner end of said annular extension, a shut-off swiveled in said housing and adapted for closing the inner open end of said barrel, a. sleeve adjustably secured on the outer end of said ananular extension for longitudinal movement relative to the barrel and providing-an annular spray outlet around the outer end of the barrel, cooperating means on said barrel and sleeve for providing a spray closure spaced from said spray outlet and within said sleeve,l and means exbecause of its rugged tending radially inward from said sleeve intermediate its ends slidably engaging said barrel for maintaining alignment between said sleeve and barrel.

2. Nozzle construction including a hollow barrel open at both ends and having an exterior annular extension intermediate its ends provided with a circular series of holes extending longitudinally therethrough, a housing screwed on the inner end of said annular extension, a shut-011lr swiveled in said housing and adapted for closing the inner open end of said barrel, a sleeve adjustably secured on the outer end of said annular extension for longitudinal movement relative to the barrel and providing an annular sprayv outlet around the outer end of the barrel, and means extending radially inward from said sleeve intermediate its ends slidably engaging said barrel for maintaining alignment between said sleeve and barrel.

3. Nozzle construction including a hollow barrel open at both ends and having an exterior annular extension intermediate its ends provided with a circular series of holes extending longitudinally therethrough, a housing screwed on the inner end of said annular extension, a shut-olf swiveled in said housing and adapted for closing the inner open end of said barrel, a sleeve adjustably secured on the outer end of said annular extension for longitudinal movement relative to the barrel and p oviding an annular spray outlet around the ou er end of the barrel, the outer end of said barrel having an exterior annular serrated lip for breaking up spray particles, cooperating means on said barrel and sleeve for providing a spray closure spaced from said spray outlet and within said sleeve, and means extending radially inward from said sleeve intermediate its ends slidably engaging said barrel for 40 maintaining alignment between said sleeve and barrel.

JOHN C. SCHELIJN. EARL J. HOUSEKEEPER. WILLIAM H. BRUBAKER. 

